Anticipatory grief is similar to the normal process of mourning, but it happens before the actual death.

Mourning is usually discussed in context of the family and loved ones of a dying person. But anticipatory grief can be felt by the family, loved ones, and the child who is dying. It happens before death. It's often a result of a terminal diagnosis or a life-threatening illness when death is a possibility. This grief has some common stages. But each person and family is different and experience grief, death, and illness in their own way.

Each person expresses grief and bereavement in their own way and time. Anticipatory grief may include the following phases. Grief is often an expression that includes each of these phases or stages in many times, intensities, and orders:

• Phase I. In this phase, the person realizes that death is inevitable and has no expectation for a cure. Sadness and depression often occur with this first stage.
• Phase II. The next phase is concern for the dying person. Family members may regret arguments or disciplining the dying child. For the dying child, other people's concern may increase in themselves their own fears of death. The child may also be worried about the emotions expressed by loved ones.
• Phase III. In this phase, the actual death may be "rehearsed." The physical process of death and what may happen after death are concerns in this phase. Funeral arrangements and saying goodbye to loved ones may occur as a result of some anticipatory grieving.
• Phase IV. In the last phase, loved ones may be imagining what their lives are going to be like without the person who is dying. Parents may be thinking about the unused toys left behind, missed proms and birthdays, or even what they are going to tell the child's teachers when school is missed. Siblings may wonder what it will be like to lose their brother or sister.

The person who is dying may think about life after death. They may also try to imagine what it will be like for loved ones to live without them.